A Friendship Is Born 'When Ned First Met Digby'
by Mad-Pac
Summary: Ready for some Digby puppy time? This is the story of Digby's early childhood, of how he met Ned, or at least how it could have happened and told from Digby's point of view.


**A Friendship Is Born**

_**- When Ned First Met Digby -**_

**By Mad-Pac**

"_At this very moment on a farm in the outskirts of Papen County, young Digby was just one day, five hours, and twenty-three minutes old, and he was, as anybody would have to admit, cute as a button. _

_Very early in life, Digby learned the joys and complications of living in a family. On the one hand, young Digby was fortunate to count on the protection of a careful mother. On the other hand, sharing her with nine other siblings was no easy task!_

_And they were hungry all the time! Among them, was Roy, Digby's hyperactive and needy brother, who was always the first to get to their personal food dispenser, which happened to be attached to the body of that gentle female golden retriever. His sisters, Missy, Honey, and Candy were shy and sweet, but mom always made sure they were being fed._

_Digby, of course, was hungry too, but sometimes the competition could be a difficult obstacle to overcome, especially when it presented itself in the shape of his brother Goliath, almost twice Digby's size. Goliath was never the first or the fastest, but whatever place he decided to have in the feeding line, that was the place he took, no matter which siblings he had to displace to get there, leaving little room for anybody else. Fortunately for them, their mother would quickly discipline her enlarged son, and would make sure all puppies were well fed._

_A long time later, more precisely, three weeks, five days, two hours and three minutes, Digby's mother started to get listless, and soon would no longer get up. But that didn't stop Goliath, who would suck her last drop of milk, due to his gigantic appetite. The mother did what she could. That night, they all went to sleep, all enjoying the warmth of parental protection, just to find out, the following morning, that she was gone._

_But they wouldn't have much time to mourn. It was now, five weeks, one day, four hours and one minute after our favorite canine had come to this world. Digby was now a healthy puppy weighing six pounds and two ounces, but still no match for his brother Goliath's weight of ten pounds and seven ounces, who would always use his weight to bully the other dogs._

_Then, Digby and his siblings were placed in a large blue plastic basket, and then in the back of a truck. There they went towards the vast unknown._

_Next thing they knew, they found themselves in a pen on the ground filled with some straw and surrounded by a metal screen. People walked and looked at them, and Digby could hear the sound made by other dogs, and even cats, not far from there, in similar pens and cages. The puppies all looked at one another, and came to the realization that this was the last moment they'd be together. It was adoption time._

_It was then that Digby realized he had the uncanny ability of understanding humans. Not quite words and sentences, as one day he would, but their basic feelings and emotions._

_A little girl in pink timidly got close to the pen. Digby instantly had good feelings about her. She was eyeing Candy, and Digby got close to her, and licked her face, as if he were telling her, "You can go, it's all right." So candy was the first to go._

_Next a little boy came running, and his parents were right behind him. The little boy kept jumping up and down, and holding against the fence, as he observed the puppies. Goliath moved towards the fence, pushing everybody in his way. But Roy, the hyperactive dog, beat Goliath to the punch, and soon a perfect hyperactive match was made._

_Then it was the turn of Missy, and Honey. A sweet little girl adopted them both. And then the other ones went one by one, and Digby was happy his family was going to happy homes. And then there were just Digby and Goliath. But premature happiness is often the harbinger of bad news, as Digby would soon find out..."_

Two overweight twin brothers in their early twenties, accompanying an equally overweight boy, arrived. The fat kid was eating a greasy cheeseburger, and a portion of the sandwich's contents spilled on the ground inside the pen. Goliath, feeling the scent of the fatty food, gorged on the meat he found, and placed his front paws against the screen, waiting for more. Digby, weary, stood behind.

"Come on, kid, we don't have all day. Pick one. We have a client to pick up."

"Come on, Larry. Let the kid choose. It's not like our customer is going anywhere."

"Yeah, but I want plenty of time to go through his pockets!" said Larry, and the twins laughed.

"I want that big one that's eating my burger. He likes burgers!" said the kid, pointing at Goliath, who, in spite of his weight, was doing his best to seem active.

"Are you sure, Leland? You'll have to take care of him."

"I'm sure, uncle Louis. I want that big one! I want that big one!" yelled Leland.

"All right!" said Louis. "But if this one doesn't last more than a week like the others, you are going to bury it this time."

The fat boy shrugged, and said, "Whatever." Then he took another bite of the burger, making Goliath even more excited.

"Besides, he has to start practicing if he wants to join the family business one day. Might just as well start with that stupid mutt," said Larry.

Digby had seen and heard enough. He knew that fat family was up to no good. He ran to the screen and started barking, as angry as he could sound, but all he managed to do was make them laugh at him.

Then Leland grabbed Goliath with one hand, while the other still held the burger. But not expecting such a heavy dog, and because his hand was greasy, the kid almost dropped the pet. The boy closed his hand hard, and Goliath yelped in pain.

Digby remained restless, down at the bottom of the pen, because there was nothing he could do.

Leland held Goliath right in front of his face and looked into the dog's eyes. He laughed, and took another bite of the burger. Excited, and apparently having forgotten all about the pain in his paw, he started licking the boy's fingers in search of more of that delicious fat.

"We're gonna have so much fun!" said the boy, and laughed. The twins laughed as well.

"We're gonna take this one," said Larry, giving the farmer some money. "And take our business card. You never know when you might need us!"

"Schatz and sons, funeral services?" With a confused expression, the dog owner read the card.

"That's us! We are the sons!" said Larry.

"And soon our nephew will join the business," added Louis, touching the boy on the shoulder.

Digby observed the scene and felt powerless. Then it occurred to him that there was just one more thing he could try to save Goliath's life. He started to move in circles, then make strange sounds. Then he dropped to the ground, and moved his paws at random. Finally he started drooling with his eyes closed.

"Hey! What's wrong with that dog?" asked Louis.

"I don't know," replied the farmer. "He was fine until now. I swear!"

"What trick are you trying to pull? You have a sick dog! And this dog here must be sick too!" said Larry angrily.

"Put the dog back, Leland. We'll get you another one," said Louis.

"But that's my dog. My dog!" yelled Leland, who pressed the dog against his chest, without letting the burger go either. Goliath yelped again, but while pressed against Leland's chest, the puppy had a chance of grabbing a bite of Leland's burger.

"Look at what you're doing," complained Larry. "You're letting that stupid sick dog eat your burger. Give me the dog now!"

Having said that, Larry grabbed Goliath from Leland's hand, and then placed the dog back in the pen, and not in the most delicate way. Goliath cried once again.

"NO!!!!!" the boy yelled and screamed, hitting his foot against the ground.

"Hey!" said the farmer. "If you hurt the dog, you'll have to pay for it!"

"Don't you try to swindle me!" said Larry. "Your dog is half dead already. Trying to sell a sick dog to an innocent child. Shame on you!"

And so the fat twins left, pulling their fat nephew, who was kicking and screaming. "It was my dog!!! That was my dog!!!! I hate you!!!!"

Digby came close to Goliath, whose eyes were closed. Digby started licking his brother's head. Poor Goliath, had had a tough experience with the first humans that showed interest in adopting him. Perhaps that would make him feel better.

Slowly, Goliath opened his eyes. _It's OK, brother, I'm here, _Digby thought.

And so Goliath rose to his four feet. He growled, and suddenly, bit Digby's paw. Startled, Digby backed away from his brother. Digby realized that, from Goliath's point of view, he was in pain, he had no burger and no human family to adopt him.

Goliath advanced against Digby, and started biting his neck. The farmer took off his hat, and scratched his head, trying to figure out why his dogs were acting so crazy.

Digby tried to move, but Goliath was on top of him. Then he bit Digby's face, hurting his eye. Digby cried.

Goliath finally let go, when his peevish anger subsided. Digby tried to coyly retreat to the false safety of the pen corner. He then covered himself with some straw, and licked his wounds the best way he could. His eye hurt too much for him to be able to open it.

The sun was almost setting, and it seemed that Goliath and Digby would go back to the farm they had come from. Perhaps they would have another chance some other day.

"Excuse me," said an elegant man wearing a hat. "I'd like to get a dog for my son." The man had a little introverted boy with bright eyes and a cherubic face with him.

"Oh, sure. If you had come earlier, you'd have had many more to choose from. Now there are just those two."

_The facts were these. That stranger had told his wife he would take his boy for a day of father and son fun. However, that man, instead, decided to drop by the home of a certain lady, leaving his poor son waiting in the car for most of the day. _

_The man realized he'd promised to bring his son home hours earlier. His concern grew as he considered his wife had been growing more and more suspicious of his escapades and business trips, and he had to do something to distract the family, so he wouldn't be the center of their talk again. He decided he'd give his son a dog. And as it was close to sunset time, he realized he couldn't take the luxury of being too choosy in terms of the dog to take._

"Two? I just see one," said the man. "We'll take that big one."

Goliath wagged his tail with satisfaction. But the little boy wasn't looking at the overgrown dog. He was pressing his face against the screen and noticed a shy puppy right on the back left corner of the pen, partially covered with straw.

"I want that one instead," said the boy.

"You have a beautiful son, sir," said the farmer. "So, I'm obliged to warn you. That one must be sick. It's been acting weird all day."

"See, Ned? That one is sick. Take this one instead," said the father, carefully picking Goliath, who smelled the man's hands, possibly in search of some traces of food.

"But I want that one," said little Ned. "He doesn't look sick to me. And I'll take care of him, and he'll be fine."

Ned's father crouched so his eye level would match his son's.

"Listen, Ned. You have to learn something important in life. This dog here is a leader. That one is weak. You must always pick a winner!"

Young Ned looked at his father and the dog he was carrying. Then he looked at the dog under the straw. Then at his father again, always with the same serene expression.

"So I don't want a dog. We can talk to mom about other things instead."

And so the little sick dog got a home. The last image Digby had of Goliath, he was pressing his nose against the screen. Digby made a slight goodbye motion with his paw. _Sorry, brother, but this is my turn. This is what was meant to be,_ Digby thought.

Goliath remained motionless for a few seconds, but then stood on his hind legs, barked, and wagged his tail. In that secret instinctive language that only animals of the same family speak,Digby knew that Goliath was happy for his brother, and wished him luck.

* * *

Ned was sitting on the backseat of the car, which ran along the road that cut the bright green fields of Papen County, bathed by the golden light of sunset. Young Ned was carrying his new friend, a friend that would accompany him for a very, very long time.

"What are you going to call him?" asked the father

"Digby."

"Of course, of course. What else could you call him?" And he laughed.

Ned opened the picnic basket next to him and produced a slice of blueberry pie made by his mother.

"Pie?" Ned asked, offering it to Digby.

The puppy started eating with gusto. _Now, that's much better than burger_, Digby thought.

**- 7 -**


End file.
